SKS prospectus 2013-2014.pdf

SAMUEL KING’S SCHOOL

Thank you for showing an interest in our school. We prideourselves for knowing each student and family well. This isunique, far from the norm in today’s secondary schools.

We are an 11-16 school with strong links to local primaryschools and the community. Results are good, with 66% ofstudents gaining five or more GCSE grades at A*-C includingEnglish and Maths – significantly above the national average.

Despite our size, we are able to offer a wide range of GCSEcourses. This gives every student the chance to develop theirown particular interests and skills before they move on to post16 learning.

Relationships with sixth forms, colleges and universities aresimilarly positive. Regular visits enable each Year 11 student tochoose the right courses and provider for their next stage oflearning.

We are a caring school which aims to help students to developnot only academically but in a wide range of personal and socialskills. To this end, we expect older students to be role modelsand at times to support the learning of those younger thanthem.

The School has a family feel. Partly this is a result of our mixed-aged tutor groups. But some of our classes are mixed-aged too,a system that enables students to begin to achieve GCSEsuccess from the end of Year 9. All of our students, including themost able, are challenged academically as well as nurtured.

Please feel able to visit us, contacting the School Office to makean appointment. You should find us open and approachable,even to the extent of existing parents being able to contact meby email and mobile phone.

This really is a unique school.

Ian Johnson

Headteacher

Welcome

Samuel King’s School aims toprovide a welcoming and

friendly atmosphere in whichpeople can focus and learn.

www.samuelkingsschool.co.uk 32

‘The Headteacher has been able toensure that a vision for continuousimprovement is easily understoodby staff and governors.’ OFSTED

HeadteacherMr Ian Johnson BA. MEd.

School addressSanuel King’s SchoolChurch Road, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3QU

Telephone01434 381236 Fax: 01434 382082

[email protected]

Webwww.samuelkings.co.uk

Office hours8.00am to 4.30pm (including most of the school holidays)

School day

Registration/Assembly 09.00 - 09.25am

Period 1 09.25 - 10.25am

Period 2 10.45 - 11.40am

Period 3 11.40 - 12.35pm

Lunch 12.35 - 1.25pm

Registration 1.25 - 1.35pm

Period 4 1.35 - 2.30pm

Period 5 2.30 - 3.25pm

Frequent contact between home and school is essential; the following examples may be helpful:

By telephoneAt any time during office hours.

By letter/email/textYou may always write/email/text the school about your child.All communication received will be answered as quickly as possible.

To report a school absence you can email us at [email protected]

To make an appointmentPlease write or telephone to make an appointment to see the appropriate member of staff or to view documentsrelevant to your child.

Reporting to parentsProgress is monitored half termly and communicated throughreports, progress days and subject consultations.

Sporting and cultural occasionsConcerts, drama performances, sports fixtures and open days.Parents are welcome at all such occasions.

NewslettersThe school publishes regular newlsetters. The Headteacher writes to parents monthly about activities and events. These are all archived on our website.

In an emergencyPlease contact or call at the school. Someone will always seeyou. Outside office hours telephone the Headteacher directly.

The School links well withexternal partners, with bothstaff and students benefitting

from these links. OFSTED


General Information


Primary LiaisonParents of children in Year 6 of their primary school are askedto indicate their preferred choice of secondary school byOctober. In September, leading up to this date, parents andchildren are invited into Samuel King’s School for an OpenEvening and during the working day by arrangement. Wewarmly welcome such visits believing that they help theparent and children to appreciate the quality of education andsupport that we provide.

Places at secondary school are usually allocated by March.From this time we make frequent visits to the primary schoolsto get to know those students who are set to join SamuelKing’s School the following September. We hold transitiondays in June / July and will also invite parents in for a transitionevening. This is when detailed information on transferarrangements is available and individual concerns can beaddressed. Throughout the process, parents are encouragedto find out as much as they can about the school.

Selection of StudentsStudents will be admitted at age 11 without reference toability or aptitude.

Admissions CriteriaWhere applications for admission exceed our publishedadmission number, the following criteria will apply in the order set out:

1. Looked After Children.

2. Children living in the catchment area with siblings already in the school.

3. Children in the catchment area giving priority to those living closest by AA Autoroute Planner.

4. Children living outside the catchment area with siblings who were directed to the school by the Local Authority.

5. Children living outside the catchment area with siblings already in the school.

6. Children living outside the catchment area giving priority to those living closest by AA Autoroute Planner.

Special NeedsAn exception is made to the Admissions Criteria where,under the Local Authority’s arrangements for the education ofchildren with special needs, a child holds a Statement ofSpecial Educational Needs or is currently being assessed andhas been identified as having physical / medical difficulties, andit is considered that attendance at Samuel king’s School isnecessary to meet those needs.

Late ApplicationsWithin the terms of the Coordinated Admissions Scheme the Local Authority will handle late applications to ensure consistency.

AppealsSamuel King’s School has an independent appeals committee.For parents to contact this committee they must do so inwriting to the Local Authority. Parents will be given at least 20 school days from the date of notification that theirapplication was unsuccessful to prepare and lodge their appeal.

Admissions

The proportion of studentsgaining good grades in GCSErose by 12% last year.

OFSTED

Prospective parents and other visitors who tour the schoolduring lessons comment on the good behaviour, happystudents and the positive relationships with staff.

Our expectations of how people should behave are clear andset out in the Good Behaviour and Anti Bullying Policies,available with all other policies on the school website.

Good BehaviourGood behaviour starts with the staff who we expect to bemodel professionals in their dealings with students, parentsand each other. We expect colleagues to be assertive inmaintaining our positive learning environment, but neveraggressive, intimidating or belittling.

Similarly high expectations are placed on students in terms oftheir listening skills, focus and concentration in class andtreatment of each other. We encourage them to doeverything they can to get into the right pattern of work andbehaviour at school. We expect them to be honest whenthey have got things wrong.

We do apply a full and fair range of sanctions to help studentschange their behaviour. Disruptive students are removedfrom a lesson after two warnings. We expect students toimpact positively, not negatively, on other students’ learningand progress.

We also do all we can to recognise and value studentachievement. We make weekly phone calls to the families ofstudents identified as working well. Students are alsorewarded by individual teachers. A high profile Prize Eveningtakes place in November each year.

BullyingWe do not tolerate bullying in any form and deal with it very firmly. We will also provide every support to the victimsof bullying. The fact that we know the students so well is a big advantage; we are quick to pick up any signs of someonebeing ‘off colour’ and work closely with families to resolveissues. A good number of our staff, including the Headteacher, live in Alston; we believe this also helps anyone feeling vulnerable.

DrugsThe School Governors would take any involvement of ourstudents with illegal substances seriously. Students using or inpossession of illegal substances face a fixed term exclusion andpolice involvement. Any student supplying drugs in schoolwould face permanent exclusion and a police investigation.

‘The students’ behaviour inand around the school,

including mixing with others atbreak and lunchtime, and inshowing respect for the

building and the resources theyuse in lessons is good. Thereare few incidents of bullying. ’

OFSTED


Behaviour Policies

Based on breadth and balance, thecurriculum we offer encompasseseverything required by the demands of theNational curriculum – and more.

Key Stage 3In practical subjects such as PE, Art, Catering and DesignTechnology, classes in Years 7 & 8 are organised by year group. Insubjects like Maths, Science, English, History and Geography,students are grouped by ability.

We organise the groups in this way to encourage thedevelopment of a year group ethos. But we are also keen tochallenge more able students to progress quickly. Equallyimportant is our ability to give students in the second set thesupport they need in a class of no more than ten students; weexpect them to make rapid progress too!

Key Stage 4Like a growing number of schools across the UK, SamuelKing’s School begins the GCSE options courses from the startof Year 9. We find that this extends the range of coursesavailable and enables students to take six options over threeyears rather than the usual four. We do allow students torepeat up to two courses should they want to specialiseahead of their A Levels.

For a smaller school, the range of courses we offer at GCSE isimpressive and includes: Art; Biology; Business Studies; Catering;Chemistry; Dance; Design Technology; Drama; Engineering;English Language and Literature; French; Geography; History;ICT; Mathematics, Physics and Sports Studies. We can alsooffer Music to individual students if desired.

In addition to the taught curriculum, we also offer a widerange of extra-curricular opportunities including: field trips;theatre trips; sports fixtures; visits abroad; links with localbusinesses; work experience; and community work.

HomeworkWe believe strongly that homework is a valuable ingredient in academic progress and success. It also contributes to thedevelopment of independent learning skills and the ability toorganise yourself and to meet deadlines. We urge parents tosupport and help their children in this most important area ofschool life. .

Curriculum

Where it is best, teachers askquestions that make thestudents think, at a pacewhich allows all abilities tomake good progress in their

learning. OFSTED


‘Parents/carers spokento were unanimous inagreement about a‘culture change’regarding homework.They see homeworkset, marked, levelledand with guidance onhow to improve’. Local Authority Report

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www.queenkatherine.org 1312


The Importance of our Tutor GroupsThe role of the Form Tutor is key. He or she contributes tothe welfare, discipline and guidance of all members of theirform. Overarching this is their role in overseeing theirstudents’ academic development and progress. Obviously,getting to know and working with parents is essential.

Each tutor group contains students from Years 7-11 andstudents stay with their Tutor throughout their time at SamuelKing’s School. This means that students grow from being oneof the youngest in their tutor group to one of the oldest – animportant development as we expect the older students tosupport and encourage the progress of those younger thanthem as well as their own.

The friendships that exist between students of different agesare amongst the real strengths of Samuel King’s School. Thereis absolutely no sense of Year 11 students being remote or abother to the younger ones; unlike some other schools, it isthe exact opposite.

Senior Leader SupportAll senior leaders at Samuel King’s School are expected toknow and work closely with our students. As teachersthemselves, this happens to an extent that is not commonelsewhere. Both Assistant Headteachers regularly visitregistration sessions and lessons. They are also available attutor and subject teacher parent sessions. One of theAssistant Headteachers oversees the additional support put inplace for students with special educational needs. With theHeadteacher similarly visible and accessible, everyone here iscompletely ‘student focused’.

Helping young people to grow withconfidence and turn the challenges of lifeafter school into opportunities.

Pastoral guidance at Samuel King’s Schoolis a vital part of every young person’s timewith us.

Pastoral Care

The school has embeddedsystems to provide a

strategic overview of theperformance of students.

Local Authority Report

Medical MattersThe School Office works closely with families to keep up todate medical information on each student. Trained staff willadminister medication with written parent approval. No sickstudent will be sent home without parent permission. In anemergency, we work closely with the medical centre nextdoor to take prudent action necessary for a child’s welfare. Aschool nurse is available at certain times to offer confidentialadvice on medical and personal matters.

Fire DrillIt is essential that everyone knows what to do in the event ofthe fire alarm sounding. The procedure is clearly outlined inevery room, but we also carry out several drills during theyear to make sure that everyone understands their part in asuccessful evacuation of the building.

TransportStudents living within our catchment area, and this includesupper Weardale, travel free to school by minibus or publictransport between Alston, Nenthead and Garrigill. Manystudents walk to school or are dropped off by their parents.

Snow DaysBarring several feet of snow, we do not close. However, iftravel is difficult we do organise shorter days. Normally thismeans a 10am start and 2.30pm finish with students havingtheir normal lessons for a shorter length of time. Parents andstaff are informed by email and through the website. But withseveral members of staff living in Alston, the phone lines aremanned during normal office hours.

InsuranceThe School’s responsibility and insurance for injury onlyapplies if there has been any negligence. Accidents canhappen in school, on the sports field or during visits. Theprovision of personal accident insurance is thereforeconsidered the responsibility of parents.

Charging PolicyAs required by law, students are educated free of charge atSamuel King’s School. Occasionally parents will be asked tomake a voluntary contribution towards a specific activity suchas an educational visit. The same applies to the ingredientsused in catering lessons and the materials used in DesignTechnology. Parents are also asked to provide smaller items ofequipment such as pens, pencils rulers etc. The school paysfor all examination fees, but may ask for reimbursementshould a student fail to attend. We may also ask forreimbursement for any wilful damage caused on site.

GovernorsThe Governing Body is made up of volunteers. Ultimately it is responsible for the smooth running of the school and its development.

Currently nearly half of our governors are parents. This givesthe parent community a strong voice in the school’s directionand progress and is as it should be.

Governors spend time in school – in lessons as well as inmeetings. It is important that they have a first-hand feel forhow things are going.


Miscellaneous

Governors are well-informedabout how well the school is

doing; this applies, in particular, tothe quality of teaching. Thegovernors take their role veryseriously , and regular contactbetween the Chair, Vice-Chairand senior managers is helping tobuild positive relations betweenstaff and the governing body.

‘In all the lessonsobserved teachers hadplanned for andimplementedcollaborative andindependent working . . .Students wereunanimous in reportingthat they now takeresponsibility for, andenjoy learning’.

18 www.samuelkingsschool.co.uk 19

SAMUEL KING’S SCHOOL

Church Road Alston Cumbria CA9 3QUTel: 01434 381236Fax: 01434 382082Email: [email protected]

www.samuelkingsschool.co.uk

SKS prospectus 2013-2014.pdf

Documents

Transcript of SKS prospectus 2013-2014.pdf